Web browsers for MacHead to head
Dia vs Zen Browser
Dia ranks #4 and Zen Browser ranks #3 in our guide to the best web browsers for Mac. Dia is the better pick for most people.
DiaPick Dia if you want an AI in the browser that can answer from your tabs and work tools.Free to start#3 in the guide
Zen BrowserPick Zen Browser if you keep dozens of tabs across projects and want a free Firefox-based browser with workspaces.Free, open sourceWhat decides it
- On price: Dia is free browser. AI plans start at $10 a month, Better Days is $100 a month. Zen Browser is free and open source.
- Both run on Mac.
Side by side
Prices are checked every day.
| At a glance | Dia | Zen Browser |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free browser. AI plans start at $10 a month, Better Days is $100 a month | Free and open source |
| How you pay | Free, with paid upgrades | Free |
| 3 years of use | Depends on the plan | Free |
| Free trial | Free to start | Free to start |
| Runs on | Mac | Mac |
| Where to buy | Developer | Developer |
| Features | Free trial | Open source |
| Last updated | 13 Nov 2026 | 13 Nov 2026 |
The differences you'll notice every day
Arc stops working on 22 Dec 2026. Dia is the move the Arc team built for you. Zen is the free, open source pick for people who want Arc's sidebar and workspaces with no AI and no plans to pay for.
| Day to day | Dia | Zen Browser |
|---|---|---|
| Moving from Arc | Imports straight from Arc: Spaces become Profiles, Folders become Tab Groups, and pinned tabs, passwords, bookmarks, extensions and history come along. | No official migration from the Arc team. You import bookmarks and passwords with Zen's own tools and rebuild Spaces as workspaces. |
| Engine | Chromium, the same as Arc, so your extensions keep working. | Firefox's Gecko engine. You switch to Firefox add-ons. |
| AI | Optional AI chat across your tabs and tools, from $10 a month. | No AI plans and nothing to pay for. |
| Tabs | Sidebar tabs, profiles you swipe between, tab groups and split view. | Workspaces, a sidebar, split view and Compact Mode. |
| Who makes it | The Browser Company, the team that made Arc. | An open source community project, code public on GitHub, still labeled beta. |
| Where it runs | A Mac browser. | Mac, Windows and Linux. |
Checked against both App Store listings and the developers' own pages on 11 Nov 2026.
Questions people ask
Arc shuts down on 22 Dec 2026. Which should I switch to?
Dia if you want everything moved for you in a few clicks. Zen if you want a free, open source browser with no AI and you don't mind rebuilding your Spaces.
When does Arc stop working?
On 22 Dec 2026, Arc for macOS and Windows stops working and accounts are deactivated, with personal data deleted within 30 days. New accounts closed on 22 Oct.
How do I get my data out of Arc?
The latest version of Arc adds an option to export all of your data. Dia also imports your setup directly from Arc.
Who should get which
Get Dia if
You work across Slack, Notion and Google Workspace all day and want a browser that can answer from them.
Get Zen Browser if
You keep dozens of tabs open across projects and want a Firefox-based browser that keeps them apart.
Skip Dia if
You have no use for AI while browsing, and Safari already covers everyday browsing at no cost.
Skip Zen Browser if
You need a browser that is finished and stable today; Safari already is, and Zen still carries a beta label.
Our verdicts
Dia
The top plan for this free browser costs $100 a month, and it covers an AI that writes a daily Morning Brief, preps your meetings and builds reports and decks from Slack, Notion and Google Workspace. The $10 plan handles chat across your open tabs, and without AI you still get profiles, split view and an ad blocker. If you only want the browser part, Arc comes from the same team and is free.
Zen Browser
Sort your tabs into workspaces for work, side projects and personal browsing, then hide the tab bar with Compact Mode when you want the whole screen. Zen is a free, open source browser built on Firefox, so it suits people who like how Arc sorts tabs into Spaces but want Firefox underneath. It is still labeled beta, which means rough edges that Safari doesn't have.
What each one helps you do
Dia
- Ask questions about any page you have open
- Start each day with a Morning Brief
- Keep work and personal logins in separate profiles
- Turn scattered notes into a report or deck
Zen Browser
- Separate work and personal tabs into workspaces
- View 2 tabs side by side
- Hide the tab bar for more screen space
- Restyle the browser with community mods
Where to get them
Neither one quite right?
The other picks in our guide to the best web browsers for Mac.
BravePick it if you want ads and cookie pop-ups gone on Mac and iPhone without installing blockers.Free to start
OrionPick this if you like Safari's engine but rely on Chrome extensions you can't give up.Free to start
VeljaPick it if you already have browsers you like and just want links to open in the right one.$10 once
Read the full guideAll Dia alternativesAll Zen Browser alternatives
More comparisons
- Brave vs DiaPick this if you want an AI in the browser that can answer from your tabs and work tools.
- Dia vs OrionPick this if you like Safari's engine but rely on Chrome extensions you can't give up.
- Brave vs Zen BrowserPick it if you keep dozens of tabs across projects and want a free Firefox-based browser with workspaces.
- Orion vs Zen BrowserPick it if you keep dozens of tabs across projects and want a free Firefox-based browser with workspaces.